AFFAIRS AT ZANZIBAR.

Waikato Argus, Volume I, Issue 22, 29 August 1896, Page 3

AFFAIRS AT ZANZIBAR.

TOWN BOMBARDED. London, August 27. TllE Sullan of Zanzibar is dead. . It is reported that Khalcd, with 1200 armed men as supporters, seized the palace in Zanzibar on tho death of tho Sultan and proclaimed himself successor to the throne One hundred and fifty blue jackets arc reported to have been landed from a warship, and the ladies attached to the palace have been removed to the Consulate. Abdul Khalcd controls 2500 troops and tho Palaco guns were trained on the harbour. The British warships Thrush, Spar- ; row, and Philomel were moored opposite, and on the arrivnl of the St. George, tho flagship, 250 men were landed, and Rear-Admiral 11. Rawson, of tho latter vessel, sent on ultimatum that unless Khalcd completely submitted by nine o'clock to-day, tho palace would be bombarded. Tho British residents in Zanzibar have been ordered on board the vessels. Hamid, tho late Sultan, died suddenly, and it is (supposed tha'j he was poisoned. Khaled had the body burned within a couple of hour? after death, and ho told Mr. Buril S. Cave, the British Consul, that he pcrferred to die before he-would quit the palace. The local opinion favours the abolition of the Sultanate, and the hoisting of the British flag. Abdul Khaled. declined to submit to the British, the Admiral of the fleet opened fire on tho palace, and tho bombardment continued for upwards of an hour, and then began to cease. ' Tho extent of damago or loss of life is not known.